February is national Heart month and a good reminder to take care of our heart in return for the care it has given us. Below are ways you can help keep your heart in tip-top shape. Click on the title of each section to learn more information.
Nutrition. A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons to fight against heart disease. Make small changes to help set diet goals, healthy cooking, dining out, heart-smart shopping, healthy recipes, and cookbooks.
Physical Activity. Get moving! Every day activities such as walking longer distances or walking more briskly, taking the stairs, and shoveling snow helps to increase your activity level. To download a free app that will locate walking paths wherever you go and help you track results, Visit StartWalkingNow.org.
Weight Management. Losing weight is all about balancing the calories you take in with the calories you burn. Make a plan and get started. Maintaining weight loss can be permanent if you avoid these roadblocks.
Stress Management. How does stress affect you? Do you feel aches and pains, low energy, depressed, or irritable? Does it lead to bad habits such as eating, or drinking alcohol, or smoking? Try relieving stress by counting to 10; taking three to five deep breaths; walk away from the stressful situation; take a two minute walk; smell a flower; give someone a hug; and smile.
Fats and Oils. Did you know that some fats are bad and others are not so bad? Say “goodbye” to saturated fats and trans fats that will raise your cholesterol and replace them with less harmful fats.
Quit Smoking. Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause for premature death in the U.S. Evidence shows that smoking is a major cause of coronary disease which leads to heart attack.
CPR Training. Get trained! By knowing what to do when someone is having a heart attack, you may make the difference in saving their life.
Explore the Human Heart. Discover the complexities of the heart’s development and structure. See how the blood flows through the vessels and body systems.
A heartfelt “Thank You” to the American Heart Association and The Franklin Institute for the information provided on their web sites.
